Butcher helps feed the needy

Kris Winterton for the Daily News

Published 8:00 pm, Saturday, February 9, 2002

Duford's is a small butcher shop near downtown Midland. About 11 years ago, Don and Dave Duford agreed to cut up venison, which was then donated to the Midland County Emergency Food Pantry Network. The Duford brothers did that service at a discounted rate every year from then on.

Servis, who began working at Duford's in 1981, feels good about performing a service that helps people who are in need.

"I think it's a nice thing," he said. "If there are needy people out there, I can help fill a need. People always appreciate it."

The venison that's donated to the food pantry network comes from the Chippewa Nature Center. Since 1992, the CNC has had an annual project in which volunteer hunters harvest a certain number of deer at the nature center.

It's all done through bow-and-arrow hunting, said CNC Naturalist Tom Lenon, and each hunter is required to pass an archery proficiency test.

"We don't get many complaints about (the program)," Lenon said. "People know there are too many deer in the area. The problem is the deer destroy vegetation  the maple trees and wildflowers. Years ago, deer were eating so many wildflowers that there weren't many trillium or jack-in-the-pulpits left. We're seeing improvement  the vegetation is regenerating in almost all areas."

Lenon said neighbors were having problems with deer before the hunting project began. The nature center is adjacent to property owned by The Dow Chemical Co. and also city property. Dow has its own deer-control program, as does the City of Midland.

There are 10 hunters harvesting deer for donation to the food pantry network.

"Not all of the meat goes to the food pantry," Lenon said. "Hunters are allowed to keep one deer per year for their own use. But most of the meat goes to the pantry."

The deer harvest takes place from Oct. 1 to Jan. 1. Lenon said 59 deer were harvested this past season.

Years ago, there were about 110 deer per square mile on the CNC's nearly 1,200 acres. As of two years ago when the last survey was done, this number had been reduced to 65 deer per square mile, Lenon said. Another survey will be conducted within the next few weeks.

"The DNR would like us to get it down to 40 deer per square mile, or fewer," Lenon said. "Right now, we're working with the archers to get them to shoot as many deer as possible."

Lenon emphasized the fact that the hunting on CNC acreage is for biological purposes, not recreational.

"We have archers who put in 200 hours a year," he said. There's a lot of work involved."

You might say the deer project is a win-win situation: volunteers agree to hunt, with the CNC paying for their deer permits. The deer over-population situation is alleviated. Meat is donated to people who can use it, and the meat is cut and prepared at one-third of the regular cost.

Clients of the six food pantries in the network are happy to receive the meat, said Jean Kellom, executive director of the network. Five of the six pantries have freezers, so storing the meat is not a problem.

"I don't know that people in the community, or even we who work at the food pantry network, are aware of how much that benefits the community," Kellom said. "I'd say about two-thirds of the people we served last year got some venison. Not everyone likes venison or knows how to cook it."

"From Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, 2001, a total of 2,260 people in 778 households were served by the Midland County Emergency Food Pantry Network," Kellom said. Volunteers run the agency, with the coordinator being the only paid person. Volunteers who staff the pantries pick up the packages of venison up from Duford's.

As for Jack Servis, he believes in supporting the community he lives and works in. Servis was born in Midland and grew up in Sanford. He now lives near Bullock Creek High School, not far from the nature center.

Not only is Servis happy to help people who might be struggling to make ends meet, he also prefers to patronize small businesses in the Midland area rather than large chain stores.

"Any business I do, I try to deal with people who own their own business, such as Ted's Lawn and Garden," he said. "I like to spend my money with the business owners in town. It helps the community. I think I have one of the last small businesses left."